Fetish illustrator Rex dies
13
'Sweatshop Overlord'
ARTS
Merchants prez reelected
ARTS
08
02
13
'Mary & George'
The
www.ebar.com
Serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities since 1971
Vol. 54 • No. 15 • April 11-17, 2024
LGBTQ bills advance in Sacramento by Matthew S. Bajko
Courtesy the candidate
A recount is being sought in the primary race for an open South Bay U.S. House seat where gay Assemblymember Evan Low tied for second place.
Recount sought in South Bay House race by Matthew S. Bajko
A
t least two people have asked for a recount of the primary race for an open South Bay U.S. House seat where gay Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Cupertino) tied for second place. One person has ties to firstplace finisher Sam Liccardo, the Democratic former mayor of San Jose. Liccardo came out ahead with 38,489 votes. Low and Democratic Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian both received 30,249 votes. The trio is running to succeed Congressmember Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), who decided to retire when her current term expires. It reportedly marked the first time three candidates come out on top in a primary race since California began using its open primary system. Adopted by voters in 2010, normally only the top two vote-getters regardless of party affiliation advance out of the primary to the general election. As the Bay Area Reporter noted last week, in the case of a tie in a primary race for one of the top two positions advancing to the general election, both candidates would appear on the fall ballot. Thus, in the race for the District 16 House seat spanning San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, Liccardo, Low, and Simitian would all compete in the November 5 election. Unless a recount of the vote found Low or Simitian to have singly won second place. Any registered voter in the state had until Tuesday, April 9, to request a recount, which they would be required to pay the estimated tens of thousands of dollars it will cost to undertake. None of the candidates had said they would seek a recount. But as KTVU Channel 2 reported Tuesday Liccardo’s former mayoral policy director, Jonathan Padilla, was one of the requesters. The other was Dan Stegink, a former candidate for San Mateo County supervisor, reported the local Fox affiliate. See page 10 >>
Untitled-2 1
W
ith state legislators back from their spring recess, various LGBTQ bills are advancing out of oversight committees in the California Legislature. As in previous years, most of the bills are related to health issues or protecting transgender individuals who have come under increasing attack by Republican leaders and conservative groups. One bill attracting significant interest from LGBTQ health advocates is Senate Bill 957 authored by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). As the Bay Area Reporter first reported in January, the legislation aims to ensure that state health officials are meeting their requirements to ask about sexual orientation and gender identity demographics, known as SOGI data for short. It is in response to a scathing 2023 report from California’s state auditor that found the statewide health department’s SOGI data collection efforts were woefully inadequate. If enacted, SB 957 would require that state health officials implement all of the recommendations in the audit. Having made it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in March, the bill earlier this month passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a similar 9-2 vote. It is now before the Senate Appropriations Committee, where it could be taken up on April 15. “We can’t fix a problem we can’t measure, and with SB 957 we can take a critical step to delivering
Courtesy Assemblymember Chris Ward’s X
Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang speaks April 8 on the steps of the state Capitol where he was joined by lawmakers and LGBTQ advocates.
true health equity,” stated Wiener. “California must begin collecting data to understand the unique health challenges faced by LGBTQ people.” Statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality California, the California LGBTQ Health & Human Services Network, and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation are all sponsoring the bill. The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus is a co-sponsor and has made it one of its priority bills this year.
“Opposition to the bill was also present at both hearings, where hateful and dehumanizing misinformation about LGBTQ people and our lives were shared. The increase in anti-LGBTQ sentiments across the state and country has been heightened even further during this election cycle,” noted Isaias Guzman, the LGBTQ health network’s manager of programs, in a recent email seeking other agencies’ support for it. See page 8 >>
Public will be able to purchase much-debated SF Castro Theatre seats by John Ferrannini
L
ater this month the public will be able to purchase the orchestra-level seats that once adorned the Castro Theatre in San Francisco’s LGBTQ neighborhood. The seating has already been removed as preservationists work up high above on scaffolding to save century-old paintings in the historic movie palace. Another Planet Entertainment, which took over management of the theater two years ago and announced a controversial renovation and restoration project, gave reporters and others a tour of the venue April 3-4. After a lengthy process of getting approval from various city governmental bodies to move forward with the project, the theater temporarily closed to the public February 4. “The scaffolding took a week and a half,” said Landes Dixon, APE’s venue coordinator. “The seats came out first, the seats took three days, and then the chandelier came down next, and the scaffolding went up immediately after that.” Mary Conde, APE senior vice president, said those seats will be available for purchase on the group’s website April 15; the proceeds will go to Oasis Arts and the Castro Organ Devotees Association. The organ group has long been working to raise the funds needed for the installation of a new organ, which it claims will be the largest hybrid (pipe/digital) organ in the world. Oasis Arts was started in 2022 by D’Arcy
John Ferrannini
Scaffolding has been erected over the orchestra level of the Castro Theatre as renovation work begins on the ceiling.
Drollinger, who last year was named San Francisco’s inaugural drag laureate. Drollinger previously told the B.A.R. that the nonprofit supports local LGBTQ artists, drag performers, filmmakers, and others. Roughly $300,000 has been donated to the organization, with much of the funding coming from the San Francisco Film Commission and the Ken-
neth Rainin Foundation, Drollinger said last year. Drollinger told the B.A.R. April 9 that “the goal of Oasis Arts is to elevate our community, so that has been my goal,” and that “I do believe they [APE] are trying to make space for the community.” See page 6 >>
4/3/24 12:26 PM